...some light might perhaps be thrown on the whole subject. My first note-book was opened in July 1837. I worked on true Baconian principles, and without...scale, more especially with respect to domesticated productions, by printed enquiries, by conversation with skilful breeders and gardeners, and by extensive...

...his facts with a purpose. He claims, for example, that in his first notebook, opened in July 1837, he “worked on true Baconian principles, and without...scale, more especially with respect to domesticated productions, by printed enquiries, by conversation with skillful breeders and gardeners, and by extensive...

...rules of Induction, but by those of Hypothesis." 9 In response to his critics Darwin pleaded that he "worked on true Baconian principles and without any theory collected facts on a wholesale scale," but it was special pleading at best. Just before its publication, in fact, he confided to the American...

...he was an active theoriser." 12 Misleadingly at one point, Darwin commented that he operated solely on "true Baconian principles, and without any theory collected facts on a wholesale scale." This was a sop to his positivist doubters. Theory was always present in Darwin's observation of what...

...some light might perhaps be thrown on the whole subject. My first notebook was opened in July 1837. I worked on true Baconian principles, and without...scale, more especially with respect to domesticated productions, by printed enquiries, by conversation with skilful breeders and gardeners, and by extensive...

...which could possibly have any bearing on it'. In his Autobiography (1887: 119)) he says explicitly: 'I worked on true Baconian principles, and without any theory collected facts on a wholesale scale'. On the other hand, if we look at Darwin's scientific notebooks and correspondence, it is obvious that...

...which could possibly have any bearing on it'. In his Autobiography (1887: 119)) he says explicitly: 'I worked on true Baconian principles, and without any theory collected facts on a wholesale scale'. On the other hand, if we look at Darwin's scientific notebooks and correspondence, it is obvious that...

...inductive view is a particularly telling one. In July 1837, Charles Darwin recorded in his autobiography: I worked on true Baconian principles, and without...scale, more especially with respect to domesticated productions, by printed enquiries, by conversation with skilful breeders and gardeners, and by extensive...

...whole subject. My first note-book was opened in July 1837. I worked on true Baconian principles, 2 and, without any theory, collected facts on a wholesale...scale, more especially with respect to domesticated productions, by printed inquiries, by conversation with skilful breeders and 1 The Lzfe and Letters...

...strange mixture of ingredients in this argument! In his Autobiography, Darwin declares that he had worked "on true Baconian principles, and without any theory collected facts on a wholesale scale" (Darwin 1958, p. 119). 10 That is how a good British scientist was meant to talk in those days. But...